Automatic switch



(No Model.)

N. B.,ZUGGARELLO.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

N0. 599,090. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

IN VENTOH w AJM A TTOHNE Y.

1 UNITED, STATES-- PATENT OFFI E."

NAPOLEON B. ZUCOARELLO, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC s w|TcH SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,090, dated February 15, 1898.

Application filed September 20, 1897. Serial No. 652,344. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON B. ZUOOA- RELLO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to safety automatic reversing-switches for railroads, enabling the switch to be reversed from thecar when either open or closed and also providing means for controlling a partly-opened switch.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a ground plan of a switch, showing the appearance of my device at the surface of the road. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the near journals removed, showing the manner of operating the device from the car. Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing the operative mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a detail View of the stud attached to the switch.

Like letters ofreference denote corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings, in which I A represents a split switch, and B B the rails. J

O is an approximately rectangular stud, with the downwardly-projecting arms 0 cut to form vertical inwardly-projecting cogs.

D is a shaft carrying the ratchet-wheel E,

whose upper teeth project toward the double track.

02 is a longitudinal groove cut into the shaft D, and on this shaft is loosely fitted the sidecogged wheel F, whichis provided with a lug engaging the groove d in the shaft D, thus binding the wheel F to the rotation of the shaft D, but leaving a relative-longitudinal motion free.

G G are the side cogs of the wheel F, similar in shape to the cogs on the stud 0, equal in number to the teeth. on the ratchet-wheel E, and equally distant apart, but placed on alternate sides of the wheel F. The shaft D is journaled in the frameworkof the switchbox, so as to lie horizontal and crosswise of the switch A and also with the arms 0 c of the stud O, spanning the wheel F at its cogged surface. I

H H are spiral springs placed around the shaft D, fastened at their outer ends to the shaft D and secured at their inner ends to a collar on the wheel F.

-I is a pawl to prevent the backward move ment of the ratchet-wheel E.

J is a pawl operative in an approximately horizontal position and at right angles to the shaft D, extending from over the ratchet wheel E, at which point it is provided with a downwardly-projecting tooth to engage, the ratchet-teeth of the wheel E, backward in the direction of the single track to a point between the jaws of the U-shaped bearing K and horizontal slots is k and being supported by the pivot j, entering the said slots. The slots is k are of such length as to permit of a longitudinal motion of the pawl J of a distance greater than that between the teeth on the wheel E, so that the longitudinal movementof the pawl J Will rotate the wheelE one tooth at each full backward movement. The pawl J, when released, is forced toward the'wheel -E by the action of the spring L and is drawn away from the wheel E by the connection M, attached to the pawl J by means of the spring m, the purpose of which is to take up an excess of motion in the drawrod M. This rod is preferably to be operated from two points along the single track at such distance apart that the operator on the car can have ample time to operate themechanism at both points and to stop before reaching the switch if found necessary. Iprefer to give the motion to the rod M by means of a bell-crank depressed from the car by a shoe lowered by a lever.

The mode of operation is as follows:' Upon depressing the bell-crank the connection M is drawn from the switch, and by the spring m the pawl J is moved, rotating the wheel E and the cogged wheel F, which latter movement changes the stud from spanning the wheel F at the crown of one tooth to that of the next adjacent tooth. This reverses the switch.- When the switch is half opened by accident or malice, the first movement from the car sets it, and if not right then the next movement reverses it. The teeth on the stud O and wheel F are blunt at the crown and of such a length that the switch is thrown over before the crown of a tooth is reached, so that the continued lateral motion is taken up by the springs H H, and this pressure secures the switch against displacement from the movement of a passing train. The position of the switch may be seen by any method now 1n use.

I do not confine myself to the construction of the stud and side-cogged wheel as shown and described, but am able to obtain like results by the use of astud, either sharp-pointed or flat, with side cogs of either description, and can place the cogs on the stud with respect to each other as the side cogs are shown in the drawings. The pawl J may also be replaced bya lever carrying a pawl at one end to engage the teeth of the wheel E, the

other end projecting above the surface of the road. The springs H H permit the passing of a train in an opposite direction.

The operation of my automatic switch is made particularly certain by the action of the spiral springs, which are illustrated on either side of the side-cogged wheel. These springs are of sufficient stiffness to remain extended under the pressure of the side-cogged wheel during the operation of shifting the switch. Now when the side-cogged wheel has forced the stud to one side until its forced cog is nearly upon the top of the moving cog of the wheel the switch is completely reversed, and the remaining movement of the der side of the switch, in combination with ratchet-wheel and pawl for rotating the sidecogged wheel which latter is movable laterally but not to rotate on its shaft, and which is held between two spiral springs of such stiffness as to overcome the resistance of the switch in its movement, substantially as specified.

2. In an automatic switch the combination of the stud O, shaft D having the groove cl, wheel E, cogged wheel F having lug and collar as shown, springs 11 H, pawls I and J, the latter pivoted in the slots 70 7c of the bearing K and held forward by the spring L, with the spring m, connection M, bell-cranks and shoe, as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NAPOLEON B. ZUCCARELLO.

lVitnesses:

W. B. BALLARD, E. II. COOPER. 

